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Eliphaz’s First Response to Job

Then[a] Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

If someone would test a word with you, would you be offended?
But[b] who can refrain from speaking?
Look, you have instructed many,
and you have strengthened weak hands.
Your words have raised up the one who stumbles,
and you have strengthened knees giving way.
But now it has come to you, and you are worn out;
it touches you, and you are horrified.
Is not your fear in God your confidence?
Is not your hope even[c] the integrity of your ways?
Think[d] now, who has perished who is innocent?
Or[e] where are the upright destroyed?
Just as I have seen, plowers of mischief
and sowers of trouble will reap it.
By[f] the breath of God they perish,
and by[g] the blast of his anger they come to an end.
10 The roar of the lion and the voice of a lion in its prime,
and the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 The lion is perishing without[h] prey,
and the lion’s whelps are scattered.
12 “And a word came stealing to me,
and my ear received the whisper from it.
13 Amid troubling thoughts from night visions,
at the falling of deep sleep on men,
14 dread met me, and trembling,
and it made many of my bones shake.
15 And a spirit glided before my face;
the hair of my flesh[i] bristled.
16 It stood still, but[j] I could not recognize its appearance;
a form was before[k] my eyes;
there was a hush, and I heard a voice:
17 ‘Can a human being be more righteous than God,
or can a man be more pure than his Maker?
18 Look, he does not trust in his servants
and he charges his angels with error.
19 How much more dwellers in clay houses,
whose foundation is in the dust?
They are crushed like a moth.
20 Between morning and evening[l] they are destroyed;
without anyone regarding it they perish forever.
21 Is not their tent cord pulled up within them?
They die, but[m] not in[n] wisdom.’

Footnotes

  1. Job 4:1 Hebrew “And”
  2. Job 4:2 Hebrew “And”
  3. Job 4:6 Hebrew “and”
  4. Job 4:7 Literally “Remember”
  5. Job 4:7 Hebrew “And”
  6. Job 4:9 Or “From”
  7. Job 4:9 Or “from”
  8. Job 4:11 Or “from lack of”
  9. Job 4:15 Or “body”
  10. Job 4:16 Hebrew “and”
  11. Job 4:16 Literally “to before”
  12. Job 4:20 Literally “from morning to the evening”
  13. Job 4:21 Hebrew “and”
  14. Job 4:21 Or “with”

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

“If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved?
    But who can withhold himself from speaking?
Behold, you have instructed many,
    you have strengthened the weak hands.
Your words have supported him who was falling,
    You have made the feeble knees firm.
But now it has come to you, and you faint.
    It touches you, and you are troubled.
Isn’t your piety your confidence?
    Isn’t the integrity of your ways your hope?

“Remember, now, whoever perished, being innocent?
    Or where were the upright cut off?
According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity,
    and sow trouble,
    reap the same.
By the breath of God they perish.
    By the blast of his anger are they consumed.
10 The roaring of the lion,
    and the voice of the fierce lion,
    the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
11 The old lion perishes for lack of prey.
    The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.

12 “Now a thing was secretly brought to me.
    My ear received a whisper of it.
13 In thoughts from the visions of the night,
    when deep sleep falls on men,
14 fear came on me, and trembling,
    which made all my bones shake.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face.
    The hair of my flesh stood up.
16 It stood still, but I couldn’t discern its appearance.
    A form was before my eyes.
    Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,
17 ‘Shall mortal man be more just than God?
    Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
18 Behold, he puts no trust in his servants.
    He charges his angels with error.
19 How much more, those who dwell in houses of clay,
    whose foundation is in the dust,
    who are crushed before the moth!
20 Between morning and evening they are destroyed.
    They perish forever without any regarding it.
21 Isn’t their tent cord plucked up within them?
    They die, and that without wisdom.’